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vol t 129 j no 17 the n 0 r t h carolina m a g a z i n e o r universal intelligencer from friday september 21 tofr i d a y september 28 1764 an e s s a y on refined and friendly keep up an uninterrupted tenour of good writing and to convey their thoughts with chart ity and propriety of style and indeed even in conversion i have obferved tome gentlemen of this stamp when they have fal len foul on men of fupenor senfe to have been very brlfk and vioorious i-n their firft at tck ; but fainter and weaker in their lafc ef forts their spirits evaporated cind if their antagonift bravely flood his ground he was convinced that their forces were rather for a fhort skirmifh of wit than for a fet and lad ing battle they put me in mind of what fome ancient historians relate of the gauls viz 7'hat in the beginning of the fight they ufed to perform more than alert ; but to wards the conclusion of it ltfs than w$mtnt some on the other hand are of a more phltgmstick coiiftituticn ; their parts ire flow but fure ; and what is wanting in sprightlinefs is made up in what we call ftrcng cnafculine senfe i would therefore obferve that there arc two kinds of wit \ the one i call t'mfel lp'it % which confifts cf glittering points little flou rifhes and ludicrous conceits the other may be ftyled t ae sterling-wit ; which is made upofarich vein of good thinking ex aktd scntimente and curious obftrvations the former is more glaring and dazzling i t'ie touches of the latter are very mafterly but too d/:lica;e and nice for vulgar obfervers the former pleafes more upon a fuperficial tr^nfient visvv ; the latter upon a mature de liberation ; the one therefore more taking in common converfation ; the ether in writing that 1 may not lofe myfelf in too urge a c 1 v iu j con variation written in the 1 went y fecund tear of the au thor jfge &*&Â£&$&Â£& t has been obferved that fume Â»>. y >>â– < fo who have be.cn juttlv titcemcd % i i 1 /; itj of the firft ailk in thc sj rjs learned world have not "- - *?* been favoured with a very bap wv t i rv,*vi py ] u rn tor lenvcnatw n ; and that others on the contrary couki never milce their appearance to advantage in print who were vet looked upon as the very life and genius of every private company they came into thus mr anthony wood informs us " that whenever bir william killi " grew took pen in hand he did not come << to the ncver*failing smartnefs which he " hewed in convcrfation ; whereas mr " cowley was the rcverfc of this charac Â« tcr as sir john dinham gives us to un " derftand in the following lines : Â«Â« w cowley nitr poke killiqrew ne'er writ ; " combind in one they'd jhew'd a matchkfs witr this may be accounted for after the follow ing manner : some men arc of an airy vola tile temper the edge of their wit is very fine but foon turn'd : they have bri&ncfs and vivacity of spirit enough for a harp furprixing repartte or any other extempore sally of fancy ; but they have not that strength and sttjutiaeis v spirit winch is acccfiary to

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vol t 129 j no 17 the n 0 r t h carolina m a g a z i n e o r universal intelligencer from friday september 21 tofr i d a y september 28 1764 an e s s a y on refined and friendly keep up an uninterrupted tenour of good writing and to convey their thoughts with chart ity and propriety of style and indeed even in conversion i have obferved tome gentlemen of this stamp when they have fal len foul on men of fupenor senfe to have been very brlfk and vioorious i-n their firft at tck ; but fainter and weaker in their lafc ef forts their spirits evaporated cind if their antagonift bravely flood his ground he was convinced that their forces were rather for a fhort skirmifh of wit than for a fet and lad ing battle they put me in mind of what fome ancient historians relate of the gauls viz 7'hat in the beginning of the fight they ufed to perform more than alert ; but to wards the conclusion of it ltfs than w$mtnt some on the other hand are of a more phltgmstick coiiftituticn ; their parts ire flow but fure ; and what is wanting in sprightlinefs is made up in what we call ftrcng cnafculine senfe i would therefore obferve that there arc two kinds of wit \ the one i call t'mfel lp'it % which confifts cf glittering points little flou rifhes and ludicrous conceits the other may be ftyled t ae sterling-wit ; which is made upofarich vein of good thinking ex aktd scntimente and curious obftrvations the former is more glaring and dazzling i t'ie touches of the latter are very mafterly but too d/:lica;e and nice for vulgar obfervers the former pleafes more upon a fuperficial tr^nfient visvv ; the latter upon a mature de liberation ; the one therefore more taking in common converfation ; the ether in writing that 1 may not lofe myfelf in too urge a c 1 v iu j con variation written in the 1 went y fecund tear of the au thor jfge &*&Â£&$&Â£& t has been obferved that fume Â»>. y >>â– < fo who have be.cn juttlv titcemcd % i i 1 /; itj of the firft ailk in thc sj rjs learned world have not "- - *?* been favoured with a very bap wv t i rv,*vi py ] u rn tor lenvcnatw n ; and that others on the contrary couki never milce their appearance to advantage in print who were vet looked upon as the very life and genius of every private company they came into thus mr anthony wood informs us " that whenever bir william killi " grew took pen in hand he did not come << to the ncver*failing smartnefs which he " hewed in convcrfation ; whereas mr " cowley was the rcverfc of this charac Â« tcr as sir john dinham gives us to un " derftand in the following lines : Â«Â« w cowley nitr poke killiqrew ne'er writ ; " combind in one they'd jhew'd a matchkfs witr this may be accounted for after the follow ing manner : some men arc of an airy vola tile temper the edge of their wit is very fine but foon turn'd : they have bri&ncfs and vivacity of spirit enough for a harp furprixing repartte or any other extempore sally of fancy ; but they have not that strength and sttjutiaeis v spirit winch is acccfiary to